Duplex locking means for bottle caps



Jan. 29, 1924 1,481,961

0. HAMMER DUPLEX LOCKING MEANS FOR BOTTLE CAPS Filed Dec. 23, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z6560?! new C. HAMMER DUPLEX LOCKING MEANS FOR BOTTLE CAPS Jan. 29, 1 24.

Filed Dec. 25, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIJ'II'IIII Patented den. 29, 19240 rattan CHARLES HAMDIIER, F HOLLIS COURT BOULEVARD, NEW YORK.

DUPLEX LOCKING MEANS FOR BOTTLE CAPS.

Application filed December 23, 1922. Serial No. 608,597.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HAMMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hollis Court Boulevard, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Duplex Locking Means for Bottle Caps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has to do with metal caps or closures for glass containers such as b0t ties and jars having lugs or projections or divided or multiple threads, the object of the invention being to provide an improved metal cap and method of making the same having an improved form of locking pro-' jections comprising what may herein be properly designated as duplex locking projections whereby a greater range of usefulness of the cap is made possible;

An object of the invention is the provision of an improved metal cap or closure which can be made of relatively thin sheet metal in a comparatively inexpensive and eflicient manner and in which the top is provided with a depending preferably shallow skirt or flange having a strengthened or rolled or curled edge thereby obviating the cutting the hands of the user and exposure to acids and moisture and from which strengthened edge a part of the improved locking projections are formed and between which pro-- jections and the top of the cap are located strengthening corrugations which serve among other advantages to strengthen the cap, the flange and the locking projections and between which corrugations and the strengthened edge of the capthe flange is provided with another part of the locking project-ions.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved metal'cap having a plurality of pairs of differently formed or shaped locking projections located at intervals around the flange of the cap, one of each pair in the present instance having a set of locking projections, one having incli' nation and the other lying substantially parallel to the top of the cap or having its point of contact with the projection or thread on the container substantially parallel to the top of the cap, the cap being shown having an inwardly extending locking In and the other of each pair comprising a tlireaddikc or wedge-formed projection in position to cooperate with the lugs and shown in the present instance as extending from one side thereof whereby each pair of difierently formed projections thus form a duplex looking project-ion comprising an inwardly extending lug and a circumferentially extendinwedge.

' y combining these difierently formed projections in an operative manner the cap has a greater range of usefulness than by using either of them alone, that is to say where a glass container has simple forms of outstanding lugs with a straight under or looking face it is not practical always to use the inwardly extending lug since there is not a sufficient drawing down of the cap and even where the under or working face of the container lug is inclined or tapered lengthwise, while this would edect an efficient drawing down of the cap yet there is a tendency in the reuse of a cap having inwardly extending lugs only, for the cap to slip over or b the lugs and thus become unsealed but by providing the adjoining threadlike or wedge-formed projections the cap can not only be rotated further on the container but is capable of use with either an ordinary lug having a straight under face or with one having an inclined under face, in fact with any kind of a container projection or lug and any kind of divided threads or projections which may be suitable for use with either part of this im proved duplex projection.

Furthermore, the combined locking projections facilitate the quick attachment of the cap since, as the inwardly extending lugs precede the wedge-formed projections they assist in positioning the cap more quickly than is commonly possible where wedgeforned or divided thread-projections are use Moreover, it will be seen that the wedgeforined projections materially fill in the space between the lugs around the flange of the cap and because of their arch formed construction they assist in reinforcing the flange and the strengthened edge of the cap and as the narrow ends thereof terminate adjacent to or start practically at the lugs they assist in preventing to a certain extent deformation of those lugs by holding them in their proper position while in turn the lugs also have a certain efiect in preventing the deformation of the narrow ends of the wedges.

Thus the present improved cap having duplex locking projections at intervals around the flange has certain practical advantages cap is used with a divided thread glass container, that is to say there are practical reasons why a wedge-formed projection cannot be 'made any longer at its narrow end, one of which is that as the-wedge starts adjacent to the curlededge it cannot of course,

go over such curled edge. Another is that the roll threads which make these cap threads could not be practicably made any sharper where they form the narrow entering end of the wedge and still stand up in use. Therefore by combining the narrow ends of the wedge with an inwardly extending lug the working face of each, circumferentially of the flange, is a continuation of the working face or upper inclined edge of the other "and a materially prolonged lockin surface 'is obtained, thus insuring a tighter seal of the cap and more thorough gripping thereof on the glass container and also insuring against premature displacement of the cap, all of which are very im-,

- portant and material advantages in metal caps.

In the drawings accompanying and forming) a' part of this specification, Figure 1 is a ottom plan view of this improved cap; Fig. 2 is a side view of this improved cap showing the closure applied to a jar; Fig. 3 is a partial view of the cap inverted looking at the interior thereof; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are cross sectional views illustrating the several steps during the formation of the lug formed part of the projection, Fig. 6 illustrating one form which the lug may have when it is finished; Fig. 7 is a partial exterior view of this improved cap; and Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are cross sectional views taken respectively on lines 88, 9-9, 10-10, 1111'of Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation thereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseolo which I employ is for the purpose of e- I scription and not of limitation.

In the preferred form thereof shown and described, the cap, which is usually used with a suitable liner to effect a tight seal and constructed of relatively thin metal,

comprises a top 2 and a depending skirt or flange 3 having therein around the same suitable corrugations 4 located between the top and the strengthened, rolled or curled edge 5, and which corrugations serve, among other advantages, to strengthen the flange, the projections and the cap generally. Moreover, in'this-improved form of cap, the ends of the corrugations may be brought relatively close to the projections thereby assisting materially to reinforce them. These corrugations furthermore very materially assist in the proper registration and positioning of the cap between the forming rolls during the making of the cap. The lower edge of the skirt or flange is provided with a strengthened edge preferably in the form of a curl or bead 5 and preferably formed by bending or curling the raw edge outwardly into engagement with the outer side of the skirt or flange, thereby practically concealing the raw edge and thus protecting the hands-of the user from being cut as well as protecting the raw edge from attacks of acids and moisture, etc., which is very highly desirable in caps of this general construction. Of course thecurl could be one or more coils, this merely depending upon the extent to which the raw edge of the cap is curled. In the present improvement the curl is shown simply as one coil. At spaced intervals around the flange the curled edge.

is first forced inwardly to form what may be generally designated as a projection of tubular cross section. In the present instance, four of these projections are shown, although a greater or less number could be provided "if desired, and each of these projections is formed by forcing inwardly practically the whole bead at the pointwhere the projection is located. In other words pressure is applied to the bead or curled edge and practically this whole bead is forced radially toward the center of the cap without however, at this particular moment, compressing or flattening the bead. The result of this is that but practically little of the bead or curled edge is left at the outside or margin of the skirt, practically all of it having been forced inwardly toward the center of .the cap. Thereupon pressure is brought to bear upon the projection at the bottom or lower side thereof when the cap is in its normal operative position, and the bead is takes place upon the whole 'ortion of the head, which has been, force inwardly toward the center of the 'cap. Any suitable means may be used to accomplish these steps, it being merely necessary to provide a sulttill respect able means or roller on the inside of the cap for holding the upper or top side of the projection in its proper position during the pressure on the bead at the underside there of, so as to prevent the shortening of the distance between the top of the cap and the projection, to cooperate with suitable pressure means operative to first force in practically the whole bead and then compress it in the manner hereinbefore described. Thus, referring to the drawings it will be observed in Fig. 4 that the curled or beaded portion 5 around the lower edge or flange of the skirt has been formed, this curl being shown as terminating at the outside or exterior of the skirt. Tn ig. 5 the curled portion designated by 6 has "been pressed or forced radially inward so that practically all of it is within the margin of the skirt, the dotted lines illustrating the position of the curl in Fig. 4 and the full lines illustrating the position thereof after it has been forced inwardly in the manner hereinbefore described. Fig. 6 illustrates the structure of the projection after practically the whole of the forced-inward part of the curled edge has been subjected to suitable transverse pressure to thin out the projection as at 7.

From this it will be observed that the entire bead at this point is practically utilized in the formation of. the projection, so that a comparatively wide and long projection is formed merging into the upper portion of the cap at each end thereof by tubular, tapered or cornute portions which very materially strengthens and reinforces the projection and holds it in its proper operative position.

Thus by deflecting practically the whole of the bead toward the center of the cap at intervals in the first instance, and then subjecting it to pressure I am enabled to utilize practically all of the metal of the bead to form a suitably sized projection. In practice, the inner or holding faces of the bead may be given the,desired shape found most suitable in use 'as relatively flat, that is, substantially parallel with the top of the cap, or they may have a slightly curved formation in cross section, so long as they are sufficiently thinned out to provide the necessary holding surface on the thread or lug of the jar. The thinning out of the projections in the present instance is obtained largely by pressure exerted on the bottom or lower wall of the projection, al though of course some pressure is exerted on the top or upper wall thereof. Tn practice the pressure brought upon the inwardly pressed curled portions may va accord 'ing to the thinness or thickness 0 the pro jection that it is desired to form, so that the top and bottom walls of the projection may be practically brought into contact or may be left spaced apart, this not being material practically concealed and enclosed so that there is no raw edge of any consequence around the margin of the cap to either cut the hand or be subjected to rust or attack by acids or the atmosphere. 4

It will also be understood that in making these improved projectionsonly that portion of the rolled, curled or beaded edge at the points where the projections are located is first forced inward toward the center of the cap so that the term as used herein forcing inward of the whole bead is intended to apply only to those portions of the bead or rolled edge where the projections are located, the remaining portions of the bead or rolled edge not being disturbed.

One of the highly desirable things in practice is to have the angle of the thread at the underside of the glass jar and the angle of the projection on the inside or that face nearest to the top of the cap when in its normal position correspond as nearly as practicable, and consequently when the under face ofthe glass thread is horizontal or substantially so and the under or working face of the lug corresponds therewith, not only is the projection a stronger one, but more pressure isrequired to turn the cap over the threads of the jar, so that it has a greater holding efliciency.

In the present improvement it will be observed that by making the projections in the manner hereinbefore set forth, they can be so formed that the working or under face, that is that face nearest the top of the cap when in its normal position, can be. at right angles to the flange of the cap, so that they can conform to the angle of the underside of the thread, which at the present time is usually of this form also.

As one of the essential features of the present improved cap is the provision of a pair of difl erently formed or shaped cooperating locking projections itis to be understood that each may be materially different from that disclosed herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention and while I have so far described what I consider to be the preferable form at the present time of locking lug nevertheless this locking lug may have the appearance shown in Fig. 5 if desired, in other words i tained either by or without slittingor slot-- wardly at the larger end, as indicated in' I ally ting the metal just above the lug. By slot-. ting the metal the lug may be pressed inwardly more easily but the lug may be obtained without doing this and still have the appearance 'shown herein. The other portion of-the combined or duplex locking projection comprises a wedge-formed or threadlike projection narrow but preferably deep at its entering end and wide and preferably shallow toward its opposite end, in consequence of. which a more eifective holding, looking or sealing of the cap upon the looking projections or threads of the container neck is obtained because the thread or -.proj ection of the jar neck is more likely, for the reasons hereinafter stated, to be more uniformly formed at those points where the entering ends of the projections finally seat. Each of these wedgeformed projections'in the present instance is obtained by forcing inwardly the wall of the depending skirt or flange and as the present capis shown with four inwardly projecting lugs it is also shown with four inwardly pro ecting wedgeformed projections. the several pairs being equally spaced around the flange to cooperate with lugs or divided threads of the glass container.

Each of these projections 20 is shown as substantially of wedge form, and is provided practically with three walls, an upper wall. 21 facing the top of the cap, an inner or vertical wall 22, of slightly curved formation and a bottom wall 23. This improved projection is deepest where the side wall 22 is narrowest, which is at the entering end 24 of the projection, see Fig. 3. The. depth of the projection gradually decreases as the wall 22 approaches the skirt or flange wall 3' from this entering or deep end 24 toward the other end portion. The upper wall 21 is widest at this deep end and remains wide for a considerable distance, and then gradutapers off thus forming a shelf or working face21, of considerable area adapted to engage the lower wall of the thread on the jar, which will preferably have its lower wall at a very abrupt angle relatively to the neck of the jaw.

The lower wall 23 of the projection adually tapers toward the shallow end an practically merges into the skirt wall, so that the relative straight side wall 22 is inclined outthe sectional views, Figs. 8-10.

Thus it will be scenthat each of the projections or wedges of the closure is deep and narrow at one end, which is the lower end adjacent to the bead of the closure, and. becomes wider from this end toward the other end, where. it becomes more shallow practically merging into the cylindrical wall 3' of the skirt. The threads or lugs on the jar,

are preferablyinclined at the same angle as the upper wall21 of each projection. When the cap is applied the narrow deep end portion 24 passes below the upper end portion of each jar thread, with, its upper wall 21 engaging the lower wall of the jar thread. Asthe cap is turned these engaging or working walls act asa screw thread and force the cap downwardly until its top engages the top edge of the jar, theca usuall being provided with a suitable iner. hus, it will be seenthat the smaller end 2 f the projection has advanced wardly and engages at'the lower portion of each jar thread, instead of the upper portion adjacent to the top of the jar.

It has been found in practice that jars with threads sometimes have the upper end portion of the thread brokenor chipped while the lower portion adjacent to the usual bead or shoulder 11 on the jar is less likely to be damaged as it is protected by this shoulder. Therefore a better sealing is insured because the jar .threadis in better condition at its lower portion. Furthermore the main sealing portion of each projection being at the lower part of the skirt of the closure, the latter -can yield more to provide for jars that are irregular and not a true circle, than if the sealing portion of the projection was at the upper part or near the top of the cap, while at the same time the deep part of the projection is more effectively strengthened by reason of the fact that it it closer to the stregthened or curled or beaded edge of the cap, so that it is not so likely'to be distorted out of its proper locking position and thus the cap can be very effectively used for re-sealing purposes. It

i will be further observed that these improved 'locki o wedge projections, narrow but deep at their entering ends and wide but shallow toward their opposite ends, are so located in the present instance that the lower edge of each projection is relatively close to and may be substantially parallel with the lower or strengthened or reinforced edge of the and moved down-- cap, while the upper'or working or sealing.

edge of the projection is inclined upwardly toward the top of the cap, thus forming in this sense a thread-like or helical working edge with the wider portions or the locking projections preferably substantially filling the space between the beaded edge and the corrugations of the cap. Thus I am able to provide an improved shallow flange cap having differently shaped duplex locking projections afi'ording superior advantages over any of those pro ections of my prior patents especially as the cap will have the somewhat wider range of usefulness.

It will be observed that the narrow entering ends of the. wedge-formed projections commence at or in close proximitly to the inwardly extending lugs and in fact as shown herein the entering end starts preferably slightly under an inwardly extending inspect lug or wall so that the upper or working face of an inwardly extending lug may form a continuation of the inclined working surface of the adjacent wedge.

Thus ll am enabled to materially prolong the working or locking surface of each wedge projection to the extent of the circumferential width of the inwardly extending lug thereby giving the additional advantage of a longer gripping or locking surface or edge on a jar thread or lug. In other words it would be obviously impossible especially in a shallow flange cap to prolong the narrow entering end of the wedge projection for various reasons, one of which is the difiiculty of making the rolls for such a purpose since they would not stand upin practice, but by combining the difi'erently shaped projections it will be observed that l prolong the working face of the wedge formed projection to as stated the extent of the circumferential width of the lug thus getting a longer working face than it would be otherwise pomible in a shallow flange cap with the wedge alone and moreover getting an extended working surface at the commencement of the locking projections which of course, when the cap is turned on to the jar, are located at the inner or lower ends of the glass threads when such are used. y

I believe I am the first to provide a plurality of pairs of duplex cooperating locking projections regardless of the structure of either or both thereof andwwhatever be the form, shape, construction, or location thereof so long as each pair comprises two differently formed or shaped locking projections and that the description of the two locking projections making up a pair thereof are intended only to cover what 1' can consider to be the best forms thereof for it is obvious that the lugs may be otherwise formed and may be independent of the bead and the a wedge projections may have a less number of walls and still have an inclined edge for engaging the glass container projections.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure, or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, ll claim 2 1. A metal cap having a depending skirt having a set of log projections, one having inclination and the other lying substantially parallel to the top of the cap.

2. A metal cap having a depending skirt provided with a set of locking projections, one having inclination and the other having its point of contact with the projection on the container substantially parallel to the top of the cap.

4-. A metal cap having a depending skirt provided with a set of locking projections, one having inclination and the other having its point of contact with the projection on the container substantially parallel to the top of the cap, the projection having inclination having a wedge or thread-like form and the other projection comprising a lug.

5. A metal cap having a depending skirt having a rolled, beaded or strengthened edge and provided with a set of locking projections, one having inclination and the other having its point of contact with the projectime on the container substantially parallel to the top of the cap.

i 6. A metal cap having a depending skirt provided with a strengthened edge and a set of locking projections, one having inclination and formed from the metal above such strengthened edge and the other having its point of contact with the projection on the container substantially parallel to the top of the cap and formed from the metal of the strengthened edge.

7. A metal cap having a depending skirt provided with a strengthened edge and with a strengthened portion spaced therefrom. said skirt having a set of locking projections, one having inclination and the other lying substantially parallel to the top of the ca 8. .5 metal cap having a depending skirt provided with a strengthened edge and with a strengthened portion spaced therefrom, said skirt having a set of locking projections. one having inclination and the other lying substantially parallel to the top of the cap and one located at the lower strengthened portion and the other between the two strengthened portions.

- 9. A metal cap having a depending skirt provided with a strengthened edge and with a strengthened portion spaced therefrom, said skirt having a set of locking projections, one having inclination and the other l 'ng substantially parallel to the top of thb cap and one located at the lower strengthened portion and the other between the two strengthened portions, and one comllft lttl) ing projections, one having inclination and located between the strengthened portions and the other located at the lower strengthened portion and having its point of contact with the. projection on the container substantially parallel to the top of the cap, one of said projections comprising a lug and the other a wedge.

12. A metal cap having a depending skirt having a set of locking projections one having inclination and comprising a wedge deep at its narrow portion and shallow atits wide portion and the other having its point of contact with'the projection on the con tainer substantially parallel to the top of v the cap.

{having a set of 13. A metal cap having a depending skirt having a set of locking projections one having inclination and comprising a wedge narrow and deep at one point and shallow and wide at another point and the other comprising a lug having its point of contact with the projection on the container substantially parallel to the top of the caps 14. A metal cap having a depending skirt having a set of locking projections one having inclination and the other having a relatively straight working face substantially parallel to the top of the cap.

15. A metal cap having a depending skirt having a set of locking pro'ections one having inclination and the ot er lying in advance of said first projection and substantially parallel to the top of the cap.

16. A metal cap ocking projections, one a long projectionv having inclinarelatively the other a relatively short protion an jection lying substantially parallel to the top of the cap.

17. A metal cap having a depending skirt the top having a depending skirt having a set of locking projections, one lying substantially parallel to the top of the cap and located adjacent to the lower edge of the skirt and the other having inclination and located above such lower edge.

18. A metal cap having a depending skirt provided with corrugations and a set of locking projections, one having inclination extending substantially to the corrugations and the other lying substantially parallel to the top of the cap and in proximity to the lower edge of the skirt.

19. A metal cap having a depending skirt having a strengthened edge and corrugations and a set of locking projections, one having inclination extending substantially to the corrugations and the other lying substantially parallel to the top of the cap and in proximity'to the strengthened edge.

20. A metal caphaving a depending skirt provided with a strengthened, rolled or beaded edge, and with a set of locking projections, one having inclination and comprising an inwardly pressed'wedge-shaped. or thread-like projection and the other hav-' ing its point of contact with the projection on the container substantially parallel to of the cap and comprising an inwardly extending lug formed by pressing inwardl practically the whole of the head at such ug.

21. A metal cap having a depending skirt having a set of locking projections, one having inclination and narrow at, one portion and wide at another, and shallow at one portion and deep at another, whereby it is of a wedge-like form in two directions, and the other projection having its point of contact with the projection on the container substantially parallel tov the top of the cap.

22; The method of making a metal cap which consists in providing a cup-shaped blank com rising atop and a dependin skirt and t en pressing therein a set of di ferently formed or shaped locking projections, one having inclination and the other having its ploint of contact with the projection on t e container substantially parallel to the top of the cap.

Signed at Brooklyn, "New day of December, 1922 CHARLES HAMMER. V

York, this 13th 

